Knowledge is Power
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By slashdotcom
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4 min read
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11 views
Why a Strong Knowledge Base Matters More Than Ever In the IT services world, knowledge isn’t just helpful — it’s foundational. Yet despite this, many solution providers still fail to maintain their knowledge bases, let alone make them accessible to the customers they are supposed to support. This gap creates inefficiency, dependency, and frustration — all completely avoidable with the right ITSM approach.
The Industry Reality
Most Providers Aren’t Maintaining Their Knowledge Bases
A surprising number of IT providers still rely on outdated, incomplete, or entirely internal-only documentation. This isn’t just inconvenient — it’s expensive and inefficient.
Real-world data reinforces the problem:
81% of customers try to solve problems themselves before contacting support (Harvard Business Review).
90% of customers expect an online self‑service support portal, yet many organisations simply do not offer one
Even when providers do have a knowledge base, 50% of users would prefer no self-service at all if the experience is poor. (Microsoft/Statita)
According to McKinsey, a well-built knowledge management system decreases search time by 35% and boosts productivity by 20–25% — gains many IT providers are missing because their content isn’t maintained.
Despite the clear benefits, many IT firms maintain vast internal knowledge silos while leaving customers in the dark. That’s the opposite of empowerment.
A surprising number of IT providers still rely on outdated, incomplete, or entirely internal-only documentation. This isn’t just inconvenient — it’s expensive and inefficient.
Real-world data reinforces the problem:
81% of customers try to solve problems themselves before contacting support (Harvard Business Review).
90% of customers expect an online self‑service support portal, yet many organisations simply do not offer one
Even when providers do have a knowledge base, 50% of users would prefer no self-service at all if the experience is poor. (Microsoft/Statita)
According to McKinsey, a well-built knowledge management system decreases search time by 35% and boosts productivity by 20–25% — gains many IT providers are missing because their content isn’t maintained.
Despite the clear benefits, many IT firms maintain vast internal knowledge silos while leaving customers in the dark. That’s the opposite of empowerment.
What Self‑Service Really Means in Modern ITSM
Self-service isn’t just a portal or a FAQ page, it’s a philosophy that shifts power towards the user.
A self‑service knowledge base is a centralised, searchable library of how‑to articles, troubleshooting steps, guides, admin how‑to's, and more. Customers use it to solve problems independently, without logging a ticket or waiting on the phone. According to Atlassian:
A self-service knowledge base is built to reduce service requests, improve response times, and serve as a connected, searchable resource. - atlassian.com
31% of employees prefer digital self-service over human contact for solving issues, and another 27% prefer a hybrid model. - atlassian.com
Meanwhile, ServiceNow reports that:
81% of consumers expect more self‑service options, but only 40% of businesses believe they offer enough. -(servicenow.com)
The message is clear: users want self-service, and the organisations that provide it see higher satisfaction, lower ticket volumes, and faster resolution times.
A self‑service knowledge base is a centralised, searchable library of how‑to articles, troubleshooting steps, guides, admin how‑to's, and more. Customers use it to solve problems independently, without logging a ticket or waiting on the phone. According to Atlassian:
A self-service knowledge base is built to reduce service requests, improve response times, and serve as a connected, searchable resource. - atlassian.com
31% of employees prefer digital self-service over human contact for solving issues, and another 27% prefer a hybrid model. - atlassian.com
Meanwhile, ServiceNow reports that:
81% of consumers expect more self‑service options, but only 40% of businesses believe they offer enough. -(servicenow.com)
The message is clear: users want self-service, and the organisations that provide it see higher satisfaction, lower ticket volumes, and faster resolution times.
slahsdotcom Believes Knowledge Should Be In the Hands of Clients
At slashdotcom, we see self-service not as an add‑on, but as a core part of what true ITSM should look like.
If knowledge is power, then it’s only right that our clients, not just our consultants should have access to that power.
That's why we’re building a full, client‑facing knowledge base, featuring:
Step‑by‑step user guides:
Clear, simple walkthroughs for everyday tasks.
Friendly & Concise “How‑To” articles:
For clients who want to go deeper and understand how things actually work.
Admin‑level guidance:
Because some organisations want to self‑manage parts of their environment, and we encourage that.
A video knowledge base:
For visual learners and teams that prefer to see the process rather than read about it.
This isn’t a gated, internal-only resource. It’s a client-first platform that reflects our belief that our customers shouldn’t have to raise a ticket for something we could have simply shown them how to do.
If knowledge is power, then it’s only right that our clients, not just our consultants should have access to that power.
That's why we’re building a full, client‑facing knowledge base, featuring:
Step‑by‑step user guides:
Clear, simple walkthroughs for everyday tasks.
Friendly & Concise “How‑To” articles:
For clients who want to go deeper and understand how things actually work.
Admin‑level guidance:
Because some organisations want to self‑manage parts of their environment, and we encourage that.
A video knowledge base:
For visual learners and teams that prefer to see the process rather than read about it.
This isn’t a gated, internal-only resource. It’s a client-first platform that reflects our belief that our customers shouldn’t have to raise a ticket for something we could have simply shown them how to do.
Why slashdotcom Doesn’t Need Internal KB Articles
Most IT providers write their documentation for internal use only, either because:
it was never designed for clients,
or it’s too messy or outdated to share.
At slashdotcom, our philosophy is different.
Our consultants write our knowledge base content, and we share it publicly because it’s built for clients, not hidden from them.
We don’t believe in hoarding knowledge to maintain artificial dependence. Instead, we believe in creating confident, capable, self‑sufficient clients.
Because when our customers have the power to solve the simple stuff, we get to focus on the strategic, high‑value work that really moves their business forward.
it was never designed for clients,
or it’s too messy or outdated to share.
At slashdotcom, our philosophy is different.
Our consultants write our knowledge base content, and we share it publicly because it’s built for clients, not hidden from them.
We don’t believe in hoarding knowledge to maintain artificial dependence. Instead, we believe in creating confident, capable, self‑sufficient clients.
Because when our customers have the power to solve the simple stuff, we get to focus on the strategic, high‑value work that really moves their business forward.
Empowerment Is the Future of ITSM
The ITSM statistics are clear:
Self-service is growing fast and expected by the majority of users.
Companies with strong knowledge bases resolve issues faster and operate more efficiently.
Customers reward providers who empower them, and leave those who don’t.
At slashdotcom, we choose empowerment.
We choose transparency.
We choose giving our clients the knowledge they need to thrive.
Because knowledge is power, and we believe that power belongs to our clients.
Self-service is growing fast and expected by the majority of users.
Companies with strong knowledge bases resolve issues faster and operate more efficiently.
Customers reward providers who empower them, and leave those who don’t.
At slashdotcom, we choose empowerment.
We choose transparency.
We choose giving our clients the knowledge they need to thrive.
Because knowledge is power, and we believe that power belongs to our clients.